Laced Roses

"Do you feel it coming alive?" he whispered. His hand holding mine on his bulge. "If anyone sees us—" I stuttered. We weren’t alone in the house. "If you agree to be my good little stepsister—they’ll treat you with respect too." His dark eyes held a wicked amusement that sent a shiver down my spine. "I know you had a crush on me." "I—I didn’t know you were my stepbrother," I tried to explain, but he silenced me with a finger to my lips. That touch! That gentle press of dominance. It was dangerous. It was temptation itself. "Then no one has to know our dirty little secret." His voice was a trap, laced with seduction. "Be my stepsister by day… and my whore by night." I had thought I was inching toward freedom. That escape was just within reach. But the noose had been tightening all along. And this time, it wasn’t fate or circumstance pulling it tight. It was the hands of my own stepbrothers. .. Lavender wanted a normal life—one where she was respected for who she was, not judged for being born from rape. But everything changed when she helped a wounded stranger– and unknowingly walked into the world of the mafia. She thought she could escape the ruthless mafia boss she saved—until she found herself in his mansion, introduced as his stepsister. When her mother made her meet her new family, Lavender’s world shattered. How could she tell her mother that her soon-to-be stepbrothers were mafia bosses, who saw her as nothing more than a pawn? Lavender is left with two choices: fight back or submit to her stepbrothers' control. But can she escape the grip of the mafia? But how can one ever escape the mafia?

She was always the shadow. He was always chasing the light. Lavinia Hartwell had learned early that love was rarely for girls like her. She was the quiet one, the overlooked one—always second to her luminous best friend, Verity Langford. Even Henry Wynthorne, the boy whose compassion had unexpectedly caught her heart in high school, only had eyes for Verity. But years change people. Henry’s dreams of studying abroad collapsed with his father’s death. Verity left. Success became his only compass, and alcohol his only escape. And somehow, in the wreckage, there was Lavinia—never demanding, never judging, quietly holding him together in ways he never noticed… until she was gone. When an arranged engagement threatened to give her to him, Henry assumed she was being forced into it and set her free. Lavinia smiled, thanked him—and walked away, taking with her the steady presence he had taken for granted. Only then did Henry begin to notice the ache. The way her absence unsettled him. The way another man’s hand on her waist ignited a heat that was not anger, but something darker, sharper, and dangerously possessive. A single night blurred the lines forever—her lips on his, soft at first, then desperate, as though she’d loved him all her life. Desire flared, undeniable. But in the morning, she was gone again. Now, with Verity back and the past colliding with the present, Henry must face the truth: he no longer loves the woman he once chased. But has he realized too late who truly held his heart all along? Slow-burn, sensual, and laced with aching restraint, this is a story of unspoken devotion, of a man’s reluctant fall, and of the quiet girl who was never anyone’s first choice—until she became the only choice.

“I'm going to miss this place, I'm going to miss you." He pushed himself up from the leaner of the couch and approached her, So I thought, why not make one last memory, one last good memory." He took her hands in his and wrapped her arms around his neck as he pushed play on the remote. A Moment Like This by Leona Lewis sounded through the speaker and his gaze locked with hers. Slowly he swayed them from side to side, softly singing the song to her as he did, every word laced with love and promise. That moment would be one she cherished forever because in that one moment his eyes said to her everything his lips never did, and strangely enough, she felt content. They would always have the memories they made together. “You are the world and more Sierra Brightly." He whispered when the song softened to a close. “Thank you for every laugh, for every memory, for every moment you gave me, Roman. Meeting you will always be my life's greatest adventure." She reached up and placed a lingering on his cheek, feeling tears burn the back of her eyes as she did. “Ready to go?" He asked when she stepped back. “Yeah, yeah I am." She in a deep breath and turned to the door. *** Sierra and Roman are two kindred spirits both hurt by love, sent halfway across the world for work. After a chance encounter over double chocolate ice cream, they make a deal to have an adventure in the six months which Sierra is posted there. The catch? No strings. No personal information. A clean break. Bound by loyalty and hurt by their past, join Roman as they navigate the budding romance between them and learn to uncross the stars…

Raquel Renaud has spent her entire life overshadowed by the brilliance of her younger sister, Camille—the epitome of beauty and perfection. Raquel has long accepted her role as the family's overlooked daughter, enduring subtle humiliations and a constant sense of inadequacy. When her parents arrange her marriage to Alvaro Bernardi, a strikingly handsome and wildly ambitious businessman, Raquel dares to hope that this union might finally grant her a life of purpose and love. To Alvaro, Raquel is just a tool to fulfill his family's obligations. He hates her—her looks, her existence, even her audacity to love him. Alvaro’s contempt turns to betrayal when Raquel discovers the cruelest truth: Alvaro is having an affair with Camille, her younger sister. The betrayal shatters Raquel to her core. With her heart in ruins, she walks away from the wreckage of her marriage, keeping one devastating secret: she’s pregnant with twins. Five years later, Raquel returns—not as the woman once overlooked and discarded, but as a force to be reckoned with. Her beauty, strength, and newfound grace now turn heads, leaving everyone who once dismissed her in awe. Beneath her dazzling transformation, Raquel hides the wounds of a past that refuses to heal. When fate thrusts her back into the path of Alvaro—a man now consumed by the weight of his past mistakes—and Camille, who has woven herself deeply into Alvaro’s life, old secrets begin to unravel, threatening to tear everything apart. In a world where love is laced with regret and revenge, Raquel must fight her fiercest battle yet: to protect herself, her children, and the fragile happiness she’s painstakingly built. Will the ghosts of her past rise to destroy her, or will she finally take control and emerge victorious in the story of her own life?

Alexis Diaz is a sales representative who attends a conference at a hotel in a remote area. While attending a reception, she meets a mysterious and charming billionaire named Max, who is a werewolf. They are both attracted to each other and share a passionate one-night stand. The next morning, Alexis leaves without saying goodbye, feeling overwhelmed by her emotions. Max realizes Alexis could be his mate, as he was drunk and doesn’tremember whether or not he marked her. The details of the night are fuzzy except he realizes his drink might have been laced by an aphrodisiac for mates. He only remembers her honey/ginger hair Alexis goes through some roughening emotions/changes(heat intolerance/heightened sex drive including sex dreams about the mysterious stranger) but eventually gets used to it, she also gets a new scar in the place she thought she had a hickey that refuses to go. A month or two later, Alexis is sent to pitch her company's product to Max's business. When Max sees her again, he realizes that he can't forget about her and feels drawn to her, she feels the mark on her neck burning as she feels and undeniable sexual tension between them. During the meeting, Max and Alexis try to maintain a professional demeanor as they are with others but the chemistry between them explodes the moment they are alone. Alexis runs away again. Max searches for her and finds her this time around at her workplace where he realizes he can hear two heartbeats. What happens when Alexis decide to runaway? How would Alexis handle the truth of her existence? How would Max save his pack without losing the most important part of his life, Alexis and their baby? Find out in this intriguing story, Alpha's girl.

“You are mine.” Jerald possessed, trailing wet kisses down Jasmine's body while she let out uneven breaths, her body tingling as tiny ripples sneered through her. Jerald's right hand gripped her heavy tits and he fondled hard, kissing her navel, obsession burning through his every act. “You are mine. Jasmine… your body..” He paused and kissed her navel. “Your heart and your soul... Everything belongs to me.” His voice was laced with domination as he moved his head downward, trailing wet kisses down her body till he parted her legs with his head, burying his face between her beautiful thighs. * This high and Mighty never took NO for an answer. He is Jerald De Luca. Either business or Women, he would surely always have his slightly illegal way. When Jasmine crawled into his bed with the intention of saving up for some medical bills, she thought everything would last for a month like the contract spelled out. Everyone has been to his bed, but none has ever won his heart like she did. She was the opposite of him, calm, yet fierce and unyielding. She didn't bend to his will like the air and every other woman did and most differently, her eyes held the light that was missing in this world. This mare lust grew into a love that pioneered an unshakable obsession. The desire to protect her was like second nature, clogging his every breath like a whispered secret. But when life challenges come crashing in, threatening to rip their relationship apart, Jerald is faced with the harsh reality of life. This angel was not so innocent as he forsee and all along he had been the enemy that he had sworn to protect her away from.

The chimes of the Full Moon Festival echoed through the night air. I fought down the nervous flutter in my chest and shot a text to Beta Lucas. "When are we telling the pack, Beta Lucas? When do we finally mark each other?" "I was still holding my breath when my brother, Alpha Ryan, suddenly raised his hand." He pointed at the Sacred Oak in the middle of the plaza, his voice laced with surprise. "Hey, Elena. Isn't that Lucas?" "He's holding a girl's hand. Looks like the pack's in for a celebration." I followed Ryan's gaze on instinct. In that split second, my wolf went completely cold. Lucas was kissing the girl in his arms, deep and passionate. I recognized her right away. It was Sarah, the rogue wolf Lucas had brought back from the forest border the week before. Word was she'd saved Lucas's life. I must've been staring too hard, because Lucas suddenly looked up and locked eyes with us. His pupils shrank the second he saw me. A few seconds later, he slowly let go of the girl in his arms. "Ryan, Elena. Let me formally introduce you two." "This is Sarah, my chosen mate." When he got to me, Lucas's eyes darted away. He glanced quickly at my pale face, then turned to the Sarah beside him. "This is Elena, Alpha Ryan's sister. She's like a little sister to me, too." We'd shared a bed countless nights. And all I got in the end was the label of sister. Fine, then. If your little sister marries another Alpha, you'll surely bless me, won't you?

There's an unspoken rule in my household—everyone has to engage in a drinking competition during the holidays. Whoever gets wasted first will have to pay off one year's worth of house and car mortgages for the other two siblings. In the first year, I collapsed after my first glass of alcohol. I had to pay the house mortgage for my oldest sister, Dahlia Zeller. In the second year, as soon as I picked up my glass, I fainted right away. Since then, I had to pay off Jasmine Zeller, my second sister's car loan. For the next 20 years, I've always been the loser. In the end, my wife, Jean McCarthy, is forced to jump off a building because of the huge debt I've racked up. The debtors keep dumping paint onto my residence, forcing me to deter away from it. Ransacked by guilt, I end up damaging my stomach from overdrinking when I attempt to train my alcohol tolerance. As a result, half of my liver has gotten removed. When I'm on the verge of death, I hear my parents snickering outside my ward. "Don't you think we've laced too many sleeping pills in his drink? He almost didn't wake up back then!" "It's fine. He's an idiot who merely thinks he has a low alcohol tolerance. Our family still relies on him for financial survival, you see. We can keep drugging him so that he'll keep getting wasted." When I open my eyes again, I've already gotten reborn in the timeframe when I'm sitting at the dining table in the 20th year.

"Ava, now!" Virin's voice sliced through the suffocating darkness, sharp and urgent. My body moved before my mind could catch up, legs burning as I sprinted toward the van where Kyra and Priti waited, their faces pale with terror. "Run! Faster, Ava!" Priti's frantic scream tore through the night, her fists slamming the steering wheel as if sheer willpower could propel me forward. My lungs screamed for air, my legs trembled with exhaustion, but I couldn't stop-not when freedom was just ten steps away. Ten. Nine. Eight- "Ava!" His voice cut through the chaos, low and venomous, freezing me mid-stride. It wasn't a command. It was a threat-a promise of destruction. "If you don't stop right now, I'll kill everyone who dares to stand between us!" The weight of his words coiled around me like chains, choking the air from my lungs. I knew he didn't bluff. I knew what he was capable of. "Not now, Ava! Run!" Virin's desperate voice shattered my paralysis as his grip yanked me forward, dragging me the final agonizing steps to the van. We tumbled inside, slamming the doors shut. For a fleeting moment, I dared to look back. There he stood, his figure looming in the distance, chest heaving with fury. His dark eyes burned with a rage that made my stomach twist. Slowly, he raised a finger, pointing at me. "You are mine," he growled, stabbing the same finger into his chest. Over my dead body. ***** Ava's life once seemed perfect-best friends, a family she adored, and a love that felt like destiny. But perfection shatters. Caught between two men-one who sparks a fire she can't extinguish, and another who offers solace laced with shadows- Ava is thrust into a web of secrets, lies, and dangerous temptations.

After the heated kiss, Sebastian's expression softened, his eyes still burning with desire. "I wasn't avoiding you," he whispered, his voice laced with sincerity. "I just want you to focus on your studies, not me all the time. You're a topper, baby," he said, a hint of pride in his tone. "And if you don't score well, I'll think it's because of me." His gaze locked onto hers, intense and serious. "In college, we should remain like professors and students—professional and detached. But outside..." His voice dropped to a husky whisper. "You can consider me your boyfriend, husband, friend... Daddy." **** "Adeline!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with emotion. But as he wrapped his arms around her, she distanced herself, her body language screaming rejection. "Sebastian, don't," Adeline warned. "Why didn't you answer my calls? I've been worried sick, imagining the worst, and feeling helpless. It's been three agonizing days since I last saw you, and I've been unable to focus on anything." Adeline remained silent, "What's wrong, Adeline? You're scaring me," he pleaded. "I'm pregnant," she stated. Sebastian's face lit up with joy, his eyes shining with excitement. "Oh, Adeline! We're going to be parents!" he exclaimed. But his happiness was short-lived, as Adeline's next words shattered his dreams. "I'm going to abort this child," Adeline declared. Sebastian's world crumbled around him, his heart shattering into a million pieces. "But before I do, I wanted to tell you," Adeline continued. "That's why I'm here—to end this chapter of our lives and move on." Adeline's voice dripped with finality. "Everything between us ends with this child," she declared.